Finding The Truth
by Sam Hikari
Summary: One year after Lan's last fiasco, things have become peaceful on the newly restored earth, and all are happy. However, when they encounter a certain red haired boy... the Hikari brothers will find that their entire lives have been a lie.....
1. Chapter 1

_Hey!! _

Ok, I know I haven't edited/made a story in FOREVER, but that was due to CogAT, Explore Testing, 3 Regular Tests in one week, and Having to set up a church band. x_x

However... I am back. And I have decided to set _A New Time Has Arrived_ on Hiatus, since I plan on putting up a new story, which goes in between The New World and the earlier mentioned story. This story takes off around 1 year after The New World. If you haven't read that story, please do so.

Also... to those who HAVE read A New Time Has Arrived and The New World, this has a MAJOR twist. You'll love it. :3

Anyhow... enjoy!!

----

"**_LAN!!!!!!"_**That was exactly what Lan Hikari woke up to this morning. With a groan, the brunette cracked an eye open, only to see a familiar person standing above him, at his bedside.

".... Ok, two things. One, why are you in my room, and two.... why are you waking me up at 6 in the morning.... On a _Saturday??"_The figure growled lowly. "You know why...... Remember last night...?"

Lan's eyes shot open with realization. "Oh, yeah! I remember now... I died your...... hair.... blue...... Erm," He looked away, scratching the back on his head as he laughed nervously. "Sorry, Hub. I should've asked first......"

His brother tried to resist the urge to kill him, his right eye twitching lightly.

**_"Damn right you should've asked first, you idiot!!!!"_**"Hub Barthalumue Hikari!! What have I told you about swearing in this household!?"

Hub paled. "...Sorry mom...." He stated, looking behind him to face the woman.

Haruka sighed. "And Lan... don't mess with your brother by dying his hair. Honestly... you two are going at each other much more often than last year... for heaven's sake..." She murmured, walking out of the room. "I want you two downstairs for breakfast in 10 minutes."

"Yes mom," they choursed, letting a comforting silence pass the room for a few moments...

Lan smirked after their mother was out of hearing range. "That hairstyle looks nice on you, you know."

"....Shut up."

* * *

Morning passed, and Noon shortly arrived. By now, the Hikari brothers had long since met up with their friends at Chaud's house, and daily conversations blossomed between them under the hot, firey July sun.

"Chaud, where's Jet??" Maylu, one of the girls in the group asked this as she looked towards the white topped boy.

He shrugged in response, closing his bright blue eyes. "He said he was going to look for something in Creamland using one of the private jets. He'll be back soon."

Hub raised an eyebrow. "He... what?? Why do something so dumb???"

Roll frowned, flicking Hub's forehead. "Quiet, shortie."

Lan blinked. "..... Roll, that's a bit harsh..."

"....._Shortie??" _Hub asked in a dangerous tone, cutting him off. "Did you just say.... _shortie....?! I'll kill you!!!" _He screeched, several veins popping on his forehead.

Roll merely smiled innocently as Lan, Chaud, and Maylu held Hub back. "Let me at her!! Just one good punch in the jaw'll do! LET ME AT HER!!!"

"I could say the same to you.... _Grey_..... Hiding here for so long and leaving me alone. I really should punch you..."

Everyone froze upon hearing a new voice from behind them.

Lan instantly turned around, forming a large mass of data into his hands. "Who are you?" He asked in a warning tone, glaring at the new figure.

This new figure happened to have red spiky hair, along with bright violet eyes. He appeared around their age, and he wore a black T-shirt with regular jeans. The figure seemed slightly hurt by the question.

"Don't you remember me, Sora...? It's me, Aaron..."

Hub turned around after a moment, glaring at 'Aaron.'

"I don't know who Sora is, but it isn't Lan. You're confusing both of us for some others..."

Aaron frowned slightly as the rest of their group turned to glower at him, and he sighed, looking down. "... They must have... altered you both... they must have... That wretched Dr. Hikari...." He murmured quietly, a tear rolling down his face. In a flash, he was gone.

Lan tried to prevent him from going with a tackle, but he hit the ground with a thud. "... Dang it..." He muttered quietly.

Hub instantly ran to his side, kneeling beside him. After helping him up, they turned to the group. ".... Why did he say they 'altered' us...?" Lan asked, scowling in thought.

Chaud answered quietly. "... Maybe Dr. Hikari knows??"

Hub sighed. "I doubt it... but it's worth a shot."

With that notation, Lan and Hub headed home for the day, deciding to ask their father if he could explain what had just happened.

* * *

Aaron wiped furiously at his eyes as he reappeared in front of a yellow aura of energy, looking disheartened. "You were right, Iris.... they don't remember....."

The aura responded in a soothing tone, wrapping around him. "They shall remember soon enough, Falzar. And then, Yuuichirou shall be exposed....."

"...Right..." He stated quietly, looking down.

"I just hope they remember soon..... I want my friend and little brother back...."

* * *

"... I have no idea what you're talking about."

Hub sighed as his dad answered them after the twins had told their story.

"I knew it... C'mon Lan, let's go back." Hub stated, slightly dissapointed.

"Alright."

The two headed out the door, leaving Yuuichirou to himself.

"... We'll need to intervene soon, Yuu...." Haruka said from outside of the room. "They're bound to gain their memories back soon enough...."

Yuuichirou sighed. "I know, Haruka... I know. I'll tell them soon..."

"I hope you do... because soon...

the CyberBeasts will awaken in them..."

* * *

There we go!! Man I'm getting rusty.... this chapter sucked. Anyways... please review if you liked it or hated it, so I have a future refference. Thanks!


	2. The Truth Unveiled

Welcome back to my story, Finding The Truth!!!

Not much else to say, except... if you're still reading this... May God, Allah, or what ever higher being you look to bless you!! x3

* * *

Several weeks had gone by since the group's encounter with Aaron, and things had somewhat gone back to normal...

However, this was all going to change today, on this fateful Monday morning....

((In the Hikari Household, 7 AM))

_"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY'RE MAKING SCHOOL YEAR LONG?!?!?!"_

_Yuuichirou sighed deeply at his children's reaction to the current News Headline. He had been hoping they'd be calm about this.... though he'd been a little surprised himself at the sudden idea. Apparently, starting on August 19th, they'd return to school... and never have an exact summer vacation again. Sure, they'd have a longer break than they would throu out the year, but it would no longer be 3 months long..._

_"It means exactly what it says. You'll have school a full year," He said in a calm tone, taking a sip of his morning coffee. _

_"This sucks!!" Hub muttered, crossing his arms in a huff. He hated the idea.... especially since tomorrow was the 19th._

_"It's better than school for life," His brother, Lan, pointed out._

_Hub sighed, nodding slightly. "Yeah, but-"_

**_BOOM!!!!_**

All three men of the household scattered like ferral cats as a large hole was blasted into the house, blowing pretty much anything on the left side of it outside.

As the dust and debris blew away, Yuuichirou was quick to check for injuries.

"Are you boys alright?!"

"Y-... Yes..." They both choursed, Lan being excluded from the stutter.

"What about Haruka?" They all looked towards where the woman had been sleeping. Somehow, she was still asleep and safe.

"It's better to watch your enemy's movements, is it not??" A crude voice stated, causing Hub and Lan to turn around. The being before them caused both of their eyes to widen.

"Duo?! But.... We killed you!!! How are you still alive?!" Hub demanded, the Hikari brothers getting to their feet instantly.

Lo and behold, Duo was indeed standing in front of them. "I can't be killed by you...... nor anyone...."

Yuichirou merely watched, shocked by this intruder. How did his little boys know this thing...?

Before the boys could do anything, black magic was sent towards them, sending them backwards. Duo merely laughed, sending more blasts while they were down. This was literally killing them, little by little.

Lan groaned lightly, still managing to stand. "Ahh.... dang it..." He murmured, scowling at Duo. 'How... did he grow so strong...??'

"Hub.... get up..." Lan pleaded, looking to his brother. No answer came, since he was out cold, sprawled on the floor. "_Hub_...!!"

Duo grinned, grabbing hold of the unconscious boy and squeezing his neck lightly. "How does it feel, Lan?? How does it feel to lose for a change.... and have to watch as your little friend dies...??"

Lan didn't answer.. He was distracted by something else... something flashing through his mind...

_"Sora!! Grey!! Run to safety!! I'll hold this set of mavericks back..."_

_'The one that's saying that... it's that guy from a while ago.......'_

_"Alright.... Aaron, be careful... Come on, Sora!!"_

_Lan could only watch as the display unfolded, seeing a boy with shory grey hair and red eyes drag another boy with white hair and bright blue eyes away, leaving Aaron by himself. The scene then changed to where the two new boys had gone, and it didn't look well. Something was blocking their path._

_'Wait.... that being... it's Duo!!'_

_"Shoot...." The grey haired one cursed, stepping in front of the child with him. "Stay away from Sora!"_

_The being chuckled. "I was after you anyways, Gregar......" He stated, pulling the boy into a death grip. 'Gregar' tried sending shockwaves through his hand, but the attempt failed. He began to crush the boy._

_"Arrg...!! S-Sora... run......"_

_'Sora's' eyes filled with terror. "N-no.... Grey-nii......."_

_'This..... This is....' Lan thought quietly._

_---_

_"I guess no reply means I can kill him now!!" Duo yelled, snapping Lan out of his little flashback. Lan's eyes widened as a cracking was heard._

_"No......." He muttered quietly, his eyes turning a bright blue. **"No......"**_

Duo immeadiately dropped Hub as Lan's hair began to change into a snow white color.

A huge could of white energy topped it off as he sent it towards Duo, growling fiercely_**. "STAY AWAY FROM NII-CHAN!!!"**_

Duo hissed as the blast him him, leaving a burn. He seemed displeased for a moment, but that soon changed. "..... I had a feeling you two were those freaks...." He stated with a grin, vanishing soon after.

Yuuichirou, who had been watching the full time, finally stood, speaking up an Lan made his way over to Hub. ".... I'm guessing you remember..."

"Yeah. I do.... and I'm not happy about that." The boy spoke softly as he enveloped Hub in a red light. As it faded, he had a darker skin tone, and his hair was now longer, and grey. Lan finally turned around after a moment, his headband falling off.

"Why...? Why didn't you tell us earlier....? Or better... why did you erase our memories to start with...?"

"Lan, I-"

"That really hurt, you know that?? Because I hadn't remembered, I nearly tried to shoot down one of my closest friends..... I.... I don't know if I can even forgive you after what you've done.... Also... I'm.... not Lan... I'm the White Phoenix... and Hub... is Gregar the Wolf......."

Yuuichirou bowed his head, closing his eyes. "...... I know...."

Lan sighed, wrapping Hub's arm around his neck and hoisting the boy onto his back. ".... I.... need to go for a while. Think things over, and maybe... maybe then I'll come back...." He stated quietly, about to vanish.

Right before he was completely gone, he heard Yuuichirou say one final thing. "If you ever want to come back... Home is waiting for you. Legendary beast or not... you're still my son...."

"....I know..... Dr. Hikari....."

* * *

An hour or so later, Hub finally opened his eyes with a groan. He found himself on a moving train, Lan sitting beside him. He was gazing at the trees outside, seeming a bit down. He slowly turned his head, causing the boy to smile slightly.

"... A road trip, hm??" Hub stated, trying to lighten the mood. He was a bit saddened by the memories himself, but they couldn't mope about it forever.

Lan smiled ever so slightly. "Nice joke... Nii-chan."

Hub smirked, sitting up after a moment. "... It stinks that we're by ourselves now, but eh."

"Who said you were by yourselves...?"

Both the boys' turned around, shocked by the sight in front of them. It was Chaud.

"You're..." Lan spoke quietly.

Chaud nodded, taking a seat next to them. "I learned from Dr. Hikari what had happened, and I decided to follow you two. We're a team.... and teams stay together." He crossed his arms, waiting for a response.

Hub was the next to speak up. "..... Thanks... but... how did you find us??"

Chaud gave them a look. "What other transportation is their in Den Tech."

"Hn..." Was the reply.

Lan nodded, yawning slightly. "... Well... we need new names. Anyone figures out who we are, and we'll all get sent back."

The others nodded, and Chaud snapped his fingers. "I know.... Netto." He stated, pointing to Lan. "Saito." Pointing towards Hub. "Enzan." Pointing towards himself.

Lan, or 'Netto' looked to his brother, shrugging. "Sounds good."

Saito nodded. "Yep...."

Chaud smirked. "Good. So... what's next?? Where do we go?"

Lan suddenly grew serious. "Next....

we find Aaron."


	3. Meet Kaiton

As time passed once again, Netto, Enzan, and Saito had found a small town to settle in until they had clues as to where Aaron was, and were happily allowed to live in one of the abandoned houses in the northern area. It was small, but that was fine, since they only needed room for 3. By coincidence, the furniture was there, along with most of the household accesories. They had adjusted fine, and were comfortable in their new dwelling. However, there was one slight issue.....

"... We have no money."

Saito and Netto flinched simaltaneously at Enzan's statement, turning to him. The three were currently in the living room, watching things out the window.

Saito was the first to reply. "...And??"

Enzan glared at him, seeming severely displeased by his friend's cluelessness. "And?! No money means we can't pay taxes, buy food, water, or keep up with this house! We need to find some kind of job, before our neighbor's blessing dishes run out."

Netto frowned slightly. "I don't like the sound of getting a job...."

Saito nodded in agreement, placing a hand on his chin in thought. "Hm..... Ah!! I've got it!!"

Enzan and Netto raised an eyebrow towards him, confused. "Hm?"

Saito spread his arms out wide, smiling. "We'll make a band!"

"...... That may be the dumbest, most random, next to impossible idea I think you've ever come up with. For one thing, we're 13. For a second reason... I only know how to do drums, and my singing is quite.... terrible."

Netto blinked. "Enzan... plays the drums...??"

Saito nodded, crossing his arms. "Yeah! See? This works, because Netto learned how to play Guitar from Jet, and I learned the keyboard and Guitar from Maylu! We could make a great band!!"

Netto shrugged. "We could try... I... guess...."

Enzan sighed, rubbing his temples. "It looks like I'll be forced into this no matter what, so I might as well enter partially willing while I can...."

Saito rubbed his hands together. "It's settled then!.... Uh..... does anyone know how to get instruments for free?" He asked with a sweatdrop, causing Netto and Enzan to fall back in their chairs. This was going to take a while....

* * *

"What do you mean we can't take an intrument and pay later?!"

Netto sighed, watching from the back corner of a store as Saito fought with a clerk. Enzan, who was seated by him, grinned with amusement as the clerk responded, causing Saito to become reddened in the face with anger.

"... I just can't... if anyone leaves this store with an item that wasn't purchased, it counts as stealing."

"Why you little-!"

"Um.... S-...... Sir......? I...... I'll pay for them....."

All four in the room turned to the source of the new voice. It was a quivering boy that had walked into the room, holding a few bills in his hand. He had bright green eyes, along with long, black hair that ended at his waist. His clothing was plain, only consisting of a light blue, short sleeved top and a pair on denim jeans. The clerk's features softened lightly as the boy laid the bills on the counter.

"Kaiton.... are you sure... you don't need to-"

"N-no.... I.... it's fine..." He stated rather quietly, looking down. "B-... besides.... th-this town... needs some music now a days....."

The clerk nodded, placing a keyboard, a box containing a drumset, and a guitar on the table. "Enjoy." He stated calmly, placing the bills into the cash register and walking into the inventory area to replace the items.

Netto stood up, approaching the boy. "Thanks for doing that... My name's Netto, by the way. The two behind me are Saito and Enzan."

Saito gave a half wave, while Enzan gaze a nod, also standing up.

Kaiton gave a weak smile. "It-.... it's a pleasure to meet you... You already heard my name... b-but.... It's K-Kaiton if you didn't hear...."

Enzan frowned. "Is something wrong? You seem to be stuttering quite a bit..."

Kaiton flinched. "E-eh? I.... I always do th-this....." He stated, looking down. "I'm just... a b-bit shy...... th-that's all....."

Netto nodded. "That's understandable... Well... I guess we'll see you around.... We have to head home."

The three grabbed the instruments, preparing to leaving. However, Kaiton stopped them.

"W-.... wait..."

Netto turned his head. "Hm??"

"M..... May I... come with you? I..... I live next door to you guys......" He asked in a near whisper tone, looking away.

Netto blinked, looking to his friends. They both nodded, and he smiled slightly, turning back to Kaiton. "Sure. Come on."

Kaiton's eyes seemed to brighten just a bit as he followed them, feeling comfort in being with a group.

--

In the distance, a cloaked figure was watching Kaiton, smirking lightly. "... You may be out of danger now, Kaiton.... but believe me... I will recapture you.... my precious little slave...." The figure soon vanished, chuckling darkly....

--

Aaron flinched as he felt a chill go up his spine, and he suddenly stood from a dark corner, looking around. He had come into town to relax... but this had startled him.

"Iris." He called, looking to the familiar golden aura.

"Yes, Aaron?"

"Get ready for a battle......

Sigma's here."

* * *

As Netto and his group reached their house, they turned to Kaiton. "I guess we part here..." He stated.

Kaiton nodded. "Y... Yes.... s-see you tomorrow, maybe...?"

"Of course..." Netto stated, and both parties went into their houses.

Netto was the first to speak up after the door was closed. "... He was lying to us."

Enzan nodded. "That house was abandoned when we came here...."

Saito took a seat, frowning. "But why would he lie to us to walk with us...?"

Enzan crossed his arms. "Maybe he was looking for protection...?"

Netto cupped a hand under his chin. "If that was the reason... why did he feel the need for protection...??"

* * *

Kaiton sighed as he entered the abandoned building, whimpering slightly as he brought his knees to his chest. _'I.... I made it without running into him.... thanks to them..... Now... I just have to make it the night......'_

"Aww.... did Kaiton think he was safe...??"

Kaiton looked up, his eyes widened. In front of him stood a tall man, with a scar on his right eye. The boy nearly felt like crying at that point, feeling the man pick him up and walk farther into the house. He was powerless against this man, and both knew this.

Tonight was going to be a raping night....

* * *

Oh, fiddlesticks.... just because of the topic of Kaiton's story, I'll have to knock up the rating.... Dang it. .

Anyways, this band idea has been ectched into my mind for around a year now, and I need to get it out of my mind before it drives me nuts.

Besides that... hope you liked the chapter.


	4. Duo Falls,But the battle is not done yet

"_Saito!"_The said boy nearly hit the roof when his name was called. He instantly recognized it was Netto, but something was... different. He sounded panicked, above all else. Sitting up from his bed, he turned to the doorway, only to see Enzan and Netto standing there. Enzan was the next to speak.

"Duo's right next to us.... and there's a massive amount of energy being released in it."

Saito nodded, immediately standing up and going into his armor. The trio made there way out the door without hesitation, Netto forming a wave of data in his hands. As they ran towards the house next to theirs, Saito blasted it down with his Mega Buster, and all three entered. As the smoke from the door cleared, they noticed three things.

For starters, Aaron was to the side of them, unconscious but unharmed, at the point they had stopped. Duo was in front of them, and to the other side was an extremely beaten Kaiton, a pool of blood lying beneath him.

Netto's eyes widened, and he ran towards him immediately.

"Kaiton!!"

The boy weakly opened his eyes, watching as a barrier was put around him by Duo. "N..... Ne..... tto....."

Netto growled, turning towards Duo. "Let him go, _now_!"

Duo grinned. "We meet again... Phoenix. As for my little slave over there... I won't hand him over. He is valuable to me, unlike my old creations over there...."

Netto shook his head. "You....."

Saito and Netto, on the other hand, were busy trying to wake Aaron. Sadly, they had no such luck for quite a while. Saito sighed.

"Come on, Aaron... we need you awake right now..."

As if the heavens had heard him, Aaron's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he turned his head to Saito. "Grey.....?"

Saito bowed his head. "Yes, it is I, my brother. Can you still fight?"

Aaron nodded, standing up. Saito and Enzan followed, turning to where Netto and Duo were.

**_"ICE WIND!!"_**Duo set up a barrier once more as Netto sent an attack, though some of it landed on him, causing him to wince.

Saito looked towards Enzan. "Try to find a way to take down that barrier with technology."

The boy nodded, running to the barrier and kneeling beside it, beginning to work by placing a green chip in it. "Cpome on..."

Aaron, Saito, and Netto all jumped to the side as Duo sent a large blast, all looking to one another.

"Shall we do it?"

"Yes... that would be suitable."

With that, the three legendary beasts each summoned an attack of theirs, fusing them into one.

**_"FIRE BARRAGE!!"_**Duo didn't stand a chance against the powerful attack, being blown in half with a scream. As he faded off, he glared towards them.

"LIGHT BARRAGE!!"

"DARKNESS BARRAGE!!"

"ELEMENT FUSION: LEGENDARY BARRAGE!!"

"Let me tell you this.... I am not finished.... my legacy will be continued by my apprentices..... Protoman..... and Roll... I shall be avenged!"

As he faded into data, the barrier went with it, and Netto rushed to Kaiton's side, beginning to treat him. Enzan, however, was in shock.

"Jet.... is Duo's.... a-....... apprentice.....?"

Saito lowered his gaze. "We'll deal with that later... currently... we need to focus on the wounded." He stated as Netto lifted Kaiton, moving to their house. Slowly, one by one, they all followed....

* * *

Kaiton groaned as he awoke, finding himself on a bed, in a plain, white room as he opened his eyes. He tried sitting up, but he couldn't, finding a hand had been placed on his chest rather suddenly.

"It's best if you don't move around to much right away.... You were hurt very badly...."

_'Th-..... that voice....._'

He looked to the side, only to find Netto sitting beside him. He had been the one keeping him down.

"N-.... Netto..."

Netto shook his head slowly. "Honestly... if you were afraid of him finding you.... why didn't you tell us to begin with?"

Kaiton sighed wistfully, though he instantly regretted it as his aching lungs set him into a coughing fit. He spoke slowly after in passed. "I... didn't think anyone else knew of him... and.... i-.... if I had told anyone... I'd... l-lose my job.... a-at that store....... if... they told...."

Netto frowned. "... We would never have told, Kaiton.... trust uus a little more next time.... ok...?"

Kaiton blinked slowly. "N-.... Next time.....?"

Netto nodded with a smile. "Yes... if you don't mind living here, of course... I talked to my friends about it, and they said it was fine.... and you'd be safe from Duo's workers..."

Kaiton managed to give a small smile in return, beginning to doze off. "That'd.... be nice...... th.... thank you....."

Netto nodded. "Your welcome.... now get some rest. You need it."

Kaiton slowly fell asleep, and Netto stood up after a while, exiting the room. He sighed as he moved into the living room, rejoining the discussion.

Saito gave Netto a half smile as he sat next to him, looking back to Enzan. "I'm sorry, Enzan... but... if Roll and Protoman are truly working for Duo... we may have to...."

Enzan sighed, bowing his head. "I know.... but... He's my brother..."

Aaron placed a hand on his shoulder, giving an unsure glance towards Saito and Netto. Sadly, they couldn't answer his inner question. But inside, they all knew what they would need to do, no matter what happened....

To destroy anyone under the league of Duo....

* * *

Ok, I'll admit it. Writting that last bit made me very sad. I personally love Protoman and Roll, as I do everyone else from the series. But dang it, if anyone else faded out of the picture, I wouldn't be able to make my planned pairings. And I a don't want to add any more OC's.

And also... don't think that just because Kaiton seems weak, that he IS weak... Trust me... he is very important.

Anyways... Thanks for reading this, and bye for now!


	5. A Slight Comical Relief

"Master Z, Lord Duo has been exterminated....."

In darkened area, Roll, Protoman, and several mavericks were seated at a conference table, comunicating with the main boss through a computer. It did not show the face, nor reveal the voice of who they were talking to. It was merely a white sceen, in which bold text would appear for them to read. Protoman was the one to read the text, as others watched. In fact, even the name, 'Master Z,' was fake. The real name was unknown.

"It matters not," The words began to form on the screen, "He was a mere pawn, for us to test the beast's strength on. The fact that we lost the beast in our possession.... _Kaiton _isonly a small set back in our plans. For now, we will sit back and act as if we truly were defeated... allow them to enjoy their small victory... once they think they're safe... we'll attack again."

The group nodded. "Understood, Master Z."

The text began again. "And when we strike.... we will be sure to collect all four of these beasts and make them ours......"

* * *

Kaiton was finally able to walk around normally, once his injuries had healed up. Since the previous incident, he had begun to cheer up, little by little, though he still was extremely shy. Aaron was happy to be with Netto and Saito again, and was beginning to warm up to Saito. Iris, finding her goal achieved, decided to part ways with Aaron, for the better. Saito, Enzan, and Netto had finally begun to practice, and the idea of making an official band was only out of reach by just two things. One of them was already set, in which they were going to preform in front of a dealer, who would decide if their skil was ok. The other issue was not set up as well.....

"No, the name should be the _Forlorn_ _Knights!!"_

"That name's retarded! It should be the _Dark_ _Masters!!"_

Netto groaned, rubbing his temples in annoyance. Saito and Enzan had been at it for hours, leaving Kaiton, Aaron, and him to watch and have side conversations as they waited for the chaos to end.

Saito glared at him. "And you think _my_ idea for a band name was retarded?! What the _hell_ is a Dark Master anyway?!!"

Enzan growled. "It's better than your idea of being prancy little Knights, _midgit_!!"

Netto flinched. "Didn't we learn from Roll not to use that term?" He asked himself, preparing for the upcoming cataclysm.

Kaiton blinked, whimpering as he watched Saito. He began to curl up into a ball. "Wh-why is Saito-kun turning r-red??"

Aaron crossed his arms. "I don't know either, Kaiton... and I have a feeling I don't want to."

Enzan felt satisfied with his comment, celebrating the victory of shutting him up. He wasn't prepared for Saito's response, though...

**_"ENZAAAN!!! I'LL KILL YOU!!!"_**Everyone could only watch as Saito grabbed his electric guitar, charging towards Enzan. Kaiton yelped, shivering as he ducked behind the couch. Enzan ran out the door within seconds, Saito following in close pursuit. Netto sighed.

"Here we go... Saito!! Put the guitar down!!!!" He called after him, also going outside.

Aaron shrugged, deciding to follow them for the sake of the flow of things, while Kaiton watched in shock from his spot behind the couch. After a few moments alone, he sighed, gathering every ounce of courage in him to follow as well.

"S-Saito-kun! E-Enzan-san! Please, s-stop!!"

* * *

"Ohhhh..... my head......"

Saito glared at Enzan as he moaned in pain, sprawled on the floor of their house. The poor boy was covered in bruises, cuts, and scars, thanks to Saito's guitar. The chase had gone on for about 2 hours straight, and just about everyone was exhausted. Kaiton was whimpering quietly, mentally scarred from the incident, while Netto comforted him. Aaron was poking Enzan with a stick, much to his annoyance.

Enzan looked towards Aaron. "I'm not dead yet!"

Aaron shrugged, continuing to poke him.

Saito smirked evilly. "You deserve it for calling me short..... I would've killed you, had Netto let me be..."

Netto sighed. "Saito, you're not short, alright? Stop letting it tick you off..."

Saito nodded towards Netto, deciding to change the topic. "More importantly... we never came up with a name... and the meeting is tomorrow..."

Kaiton decided to speak up. "U-um.... S-since Saito-kun likes the name Forlorn Knights... and Enzan-san likes the name Dark Masters... Um... Dark... Knights....?"

The group seemed surprised by the idea, but none disagreed to it. In fact, the responses were rather pleasing.

Netto smiled. "Kaiton... that's a great idea. Nice work."

Saito nodded, along with Enzan. "Yeah... it's fine with me."

Kaiton, not used to praise, blushed lightly, looking away. "G-.... g-glad... I could... h-help...."

Aaron nodded. "Alright... it's 3:00 pm now...... I'm tired, so I'll hit the sack now. Who's with me??"

Everyone nodded. "We are."

* * *

Night and Morning had passed, and Netto, Enzan, and Saito were currently set up in front of a woman with frizzy red hair. Kaiton and Aaron watched from behind, waiting for them to begin.

The lady spoke up, in a high pitched voice. "Alright.... start when ever you're ready..."

Saito nodded, looking to the others. They also nodded, and the trio began...

_If you feel so empty  
So used up, so let down  
If you feel so angry  
So ripped off so stepped on  
You're not the only one  
Refusing to back down  
You're not the only one  
So get up_

Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot  
Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot

If you feel so filthy  
So dirty, so fucked up  
If you feel, so walked on  
So painful, so pissed off  
You're not the only one  
Refusing to go down  
You're not the only one  
So get up

Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot  
Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot

If you feel so empty  
So used up, so let down  
If you feel so angry  
Just get up

Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot  
Let's start a riot, a riot  
Let's start a riot

As the song ended, Aaron and Kaiton stared in amazement at the group's talent. The lady wrote down a few notes on her paper, refusing to give eye contact. However, the words the came from her mouth lifted everyone's spirits.

"I accept your proposal to be a band. I will officially be your director."

Saito welled up with pride, pumping the air for a moment before smiling.

"Thank you....."

The lady nodded. "Whatever. Now get out of my sight and go home."

The group nodded, exiting the building. Aaron Kaiton followed close behind.

* * *

A few weeks passed, and at the same dark area the first meeting had took place, the same people were gathered. Sinister grins came upon their faces as the text formed on the screen.

"Alright, my followers..... the time has come to show these mongrels that we are _far _from done.

Earth shall be ruled by mavericks once more!!"


	6. An Amazing Twist!

"L-Lan! Please, stop this!!"

This pitiful cry had come from Maylu, who was covered in bruises and wounds from head to toe. Netto stood above her, holding a sword with a grin.

"Oh, Maylu.... it's almost depressing, really... to have to end your life like this.... but you didn't make the cut... Goodbye... Kai-chan." He smiled slightly as he plunged the sword into her neck, completing the deed.

He was rewarded by a pat on the back by a cloaked figure, who was smirking in a pleased way. "Well done, 'Netto'..... every attribute of you meets the standards I had hoped for... now... all you need to do..."

The boy answered, smiling innocently in the blood filled shaft.

"Is destroy who I was cloned from... and anyone connected to him."

* * *

It was morning once again for the group, and Netto was already up preparing breakfast for everyone before their alarm clocks rang. He finished by laying the platter of eggs on the table, in the center of 5 plates. Calmly, he placed a small portion on the plate that belonged to him, turning on the TV to see what was on.

Now, as any ordinary day, the news was automatically turned to when the TV was on. Normally, Netto would turn the channel, having no such interest for the news. But the first line spoken caused him to freeze before getting a chance to do so...

"--- Maylu was finally found today, dead in a small warehouse of Den Tech."

'...What.....?'

"She had been declared missing a few days before, and searchers continued non-stop until finding her this morning. She appeared to have been murdered by decapitation, and she had been tied up. There were multiple signs of struggle as well....."

Instantly, the screen went black. Netto had shut it off, not wishing to hear any more. He seemed much paler than before as he staggered out of his seat, breathing heavily.

Enzan chose that moment to enter. "Ah, morning-... Netto??" He asked, frowning with concern as he noticed the boy. "What's-"

"Maylu's gone." He whispered, his hair covering his eyes. "She was killed..... she's gone."

Enzan nearly keeled over at that point. "Wh-what?! How?!"

"I don't know....."

* * *

After eveyone had woken up, the group had settled at breakfast.... though it seemed much more downcast than usual. Netto wasn't even eating anything, while Saito merely looked down as he ate, refusing to speak with anyone. Enzan had insited he go out for some fresh air, and Aaron agreed and followed him.

Kaiton shifted uncomfortably in his seat, biting his lip lightly. The mood of the room was scaring him a bit, and he was hoping to change the train of thoughts.

"U-um....... S-Saito-kun... h-how is th-the band doing...?"

Saito didn't even look up. "Fine."

"I-....I see.... Wh-what about y-your opinion... N-Netto-kun....??"

Netto forced a smile. "I agree with Saito on this...."

Kaiton lowered his gaze. "A-ah... th-that's.. goo- _UWAAHHH!!"_ Kaiton cried out as a loud crash was heard, causing the others to flinch.

Saito and Netto instantly raised their heads, rather panicked. "Kaiton?!"

Kaiton was on the ground, covered in what had been on his place. Somehow, the table to his chair leg had snapped, causing him to fall backwards. His hand must have hit the place, causing the content to ricochette onto him. The room grew dead silent for a moment, except for Kaiton's sniffling. Then, a miracle happened. Saito actually began to laugh, while Netto chuckled a bit, shaking his head as he kneeled beside the boy.

"Are you alright, Kaiton??" He asked quietly, patting him on the shoulder.

Kaiton whimpered. "Y-yes....... S-sorry for making a disturbance....."

Saito managed to control his little giggle fit, shaking his head. "No, it's fine... I think we needed that, actually."

Netto nodded in confirmation, smiling warmly. He slowly helped him up, checking him for any scratches or cuts before sitting him down gently in his own seat, pulling the broken one away.

"I'll handle it later..."

Saito nodded. "I'll get some towels," He stated, standing up slowly and exiting the room.

Netto nodded, taking a seat next to Kaiton, in Enzan's seat. "Say, Kaiton... shouldn't you be getting cleaned up?"

Kaiton instantly blushed with embarassment, standing up quickly. "Y-yes... I-I'll do that now..."

"No he won't, he'll be coming with us!!"

Netto went into a defensive stance, glaring in the direction of the new voice. "Who's there?!"

"Oh, you should know me, _Netto_..... I was based off of you, after all..."

Netto's eyes widened as a boy who looked exactly like him enter the room, Saito aiming a shot with his arm cannon behind him. The shot was deflected by the look-a-like without breaking a sweat, a devious smile on his face.

Netto growled. "That necklace you're wearing... I know it from anywhere! It's the necklace I gave Maylu!!"

The clone nodded, the smile never faltering. "Yes.... it is... it looked nice, so I took it after she died. It was fun... watching her scream and plead with me... he really thought I was you....... Pathetic, really."

Netto was growing angrier by the minute. "So it was _**you**_....."

Netto chuckled. "Yep....Now, to kill you all as I killed Maylu....."


	7. A Life Changing Battle

**_"White_ _Thunder!!!"_**

_**"Dark Thunder!!!"**_

Both attacks collided with great force, causing anyone nearby, besides Netto and his darker self, to clear the room. The two boys had been fighting for barely a few moments now, and the battle was already becoming heated.

Dark Netto seemed to grin once they were by themselves. "Perfect...." He murmured quietly, closing his eyes. "When will you learn, Netto...? I'm basically you... except... I was perfected.... you couldn't stop me if you tried."

Netto growled, forming a data sphere in his hands. "We'll see about that!!" He yelled, charging towards him with a battle cry.

* * *

Saito scowled slightly as he watched the battle before them unfold from the other room, his buster ready if needed. He sighed as he looked towards Kaiton. The poor boy was petrified, curled up in a rather tight half-sphere as he watched, seated beside him.

"Kaiton," He whispered, not wishing for Dark Netto to hear, "see if you can get upstairs, and look for my communicator. If you can... tell Enzan and Aaron that we might need them, ok?"

Kaiton perked up slightly. "O-ok..." He muttered, standing up and quietly moving to the upper floors.

Saito closed his eyes once the boy was out of sight, cracking one open to keep an eye on Netto. 'Hopefully....

he won't end up getting killed....'

* * *

An hour into the battle, there was still no sign of a clear victor. However, Netto was starting to showsigns of fatigue, as any living being normally would. His oponent, however, still looked as he had at the beginning of the battle, despite a few scratches and cuts. That grin was still there, taunting all oposing it's owner.

"I told you earlier.... Netto." He stated calmly, firing a shot of black data.

Netto was able to dodge barely, though the attack had nipped his legs. He growled lowly as his vision started to haze up, preventing him from seeing the next attack, which him him right square in the chest, causing him to go into a kneeling position.

Dark Netto chuckled, walking up to him and pulling out his traditional sword. It gleamed, as if to be laughing at its next victim as a barrier formed around the room, preventing escape or entry. Netto glared at him, finding it difficult to get up.

'Is.... this it?! All this time fighting... and this is as far as I've grown in power?!'

His enemy lifted his sword, raising it above his head. "Goodbye...... Phoenix..."

Netto closed his eyes, preparing for the worst.

* * *

Kaiton had come downstairs at this moment, and the first statement he heard as he looked towards the battle sent a massive charge of panick up his spine...

"Goodbye... Phoenix...."

The boy snapped into action at those words, running towards the barrier. Netto had saved his life, and now was the time to return the favor. Saito was pouding on the barrier.

"Netto! Get up, Netto! NETTO!!!"

The sword as lowered, puncturing their friend's chest. At that moment, Saito froze, falling to his knees. "N-no.... Netto...."

Kaiton's eyes widened, the color becoming darker. "..... Netto-kun....... _**NETTO-KUN!!!!!!!"**_

Dark Netto whirled around as he felt a large amount of energy build behind him. "What the heck?!"

Saito, finally snapping out of his daze, dared to turn his head. Kaiton's eyes had gone pitch black, even the white changing. His skin turned a bright violet, feathers and scales mixing to cover his body, his mouth becoming one of fangs that hung over the bottom lip. His hair turned grey, morphing into snakes that moves on their own, hissing loudly.

"K-Kaiton...?" He whispered, filled with a sudden fear.

Kaiton didn't answer him. Instead, a red aura surrounded him, instantly breaking the barrier. He charged in after that, slugging Dark Netto in the face before he could even respond.

_**"You.... hurt Netto-kun!! I'll damn you to hell!!"**_

Saito took this opputunity to make his way to Netto, beginning to heal him. He looked towards Kaiton worriedly. 'Kaiton...... is this your true power.... were you hiding this from us all along.....?'

He could only watch as Dark Netto was tackled to the ground as he attempted to stand, Kaiton slugging him constantly as an unreadable speed.

'... Kaiton.... what are you...?'

"Ah.... Saito...?"

The boy flinched, looking down. Netto was awake.... "Netto.... are you ok?"

He nodded, sitting up. "I am now..... what-.... Kaiton....?!" He exclaimed, looking towards him. "Saito! What happened?!"

Saito sighed. "He saw you get stabbed and...."

"Shoot! KAITON!!" He yelled, standing up quickly and running towards the boy, forgetting about the stab wound.

The scene before him was pitiful. Dark Netto had died long ago... he was sure of that. There was nothing there except a bloody pulp, which was rather gruesome. Despite the charged aura floating around Kaiton, Netto wrapped both arms around his waist in an attempt to pull him back, which was successful. The boy tried to fight back, but Netto held on.

"Kaiton! You can stop...!! I'm ok, see?! KAITON!!"

Finally, he came to, his form slowly reverting. "Netto.... kun......?" He whispered, his now green eyes widening. "D-did..... I..... do this......?" Tears were forming in his eyes from the sight, looking down to his trembling bloody hands in horror.

Netto sighed, giving him a comforting squeeze on the arm, releasing his waist. "Kaiton... it wasn't your fault... I probably would've done the same thing...."

The words didn't help. Kaiton broke into sobs, and Netto responded by hugging his tightly, closing his eyes and letting the boy cry onto his shoulder. Saito watched from the door frame, also surveying the damage as well. It'd take a while to repair for sure, but at least the structure had remained intact.

Enzan and Aaron finally came, Enzan beeing the first to speak. "We came as fast as we could! Is everything-..... oh... man....." He whispered in shock at the scene before him. Saito turned around, giving a nod, as if to answer the duo's question with only that.

* * *

Everyone in the group had trouble sleeping last night-- especially Kaiton. Netto had agreed to stay in his room for that night, to help in some way by just being there. This had been a snap into reality for all of them- that they were in a battle.

And that battle was far from being won.

* * *

A/N: This chapter is a personal favorite for me. I know I'm not supposed to say that about my work, but the ending of it almost makes me sad, really.

Thank you for reading!!


	8. Dark Netto Gets Revenge

It was going on midnight, and at the hideout Dark Netto had come from, Master Z and his underlings were not pleased. Their top creation had been destroyed, by another creation. Roll punched the table, growling.

"Now what are we going to do?! Our main key is on the enemy's side, and our other key is gone!!" She was angry... at least, not until she read her leader's response.

"Do not fret..... this shall fall into play soon. Although the key is with those brats, he is not free of us... while he is melded with the beast soul within him... we can track them and moniter, no matter where they are....

and he knows it... Until then... we have a slight surprise instore for them... You see, 'Netto's' body had a virus... which travelled by air...."

* * *

Saito yawned rather loudly as he awoke from his slumber, forcing himself out of bed. The room had it's usual morning chill, which caused the blue paint on the walls to peel ever so slightly. Forcing himself out of bed, he slowly made his way to the bathroom. However, as he entered and took a glance in the mirror, he recieved quite a shock....

_"WHAT THE **HELL**?!"_

"Saito?! Are you ok?" Netto called as he bolted into the room from downstairs. As he caught a glimpse of his friend, his eyes widened, and he became rather silent.

Saito growled, turning beat red with anger. "I'll kill the bastards who did this!!! I swear it!!!" He voice seemed a little... higher pitched, than usual, causing Netto to break into a laughing fit.

Enzan chose this time to enter the room, frowning. "Ok, why in the hell are you making all this..... racket........" He trailed off as he found the cause, a smirk coming to his lips. "You know... I always did think that you looked like a girl.... Now, you get to be one."

Saito didn't look to differently, besides his/her height decreasing by a tad, and his/her usually thin strand hair becoming wavy, and thick. Also, his/her waist had gone in a bit, and his/her hips were wider.

He glared at him, crossing her/his under their newly developed chest. "Shut the hell up, Enzan! I oughta---" He then went into swearing, shaking his fist at the boy.

Netto sighed after his fits stopped, leaving the room. "Hm... well, at least Enzan and I are still normal... I'll check on the others." He murmured, coming across Aaron's room first.

He slowly opened the door, taking a look inside of the room. It was severely messy, and there appeared to be pieces of food on the walls. Prying his eyes away from the horrific sight, he looked towards Aaron, who was still asleep.

_'Well.... he still looks normal. Now, onto Kaiton's room.'_Closing the door, he then moved to the room next to Aaron's- Kaiton's. As he opened the door, he peeked his head in. "Hm..."

"Don't come in!!" Kaiton's voice sqeaked. Netto suddenly found a pillow meeting his face, causing him to fall backwards. The door swung open, only to hit his foot with an impressive force.

"Ow! Dang it, Kaiton!"Sorry, Netto-kun! I-... I thought you were someone else, and..." Kaiton trailed off.

"A-Ah!!

Netto heard footsteps , and he looked up to see Kaiton running up to him, kneeling down. For the second time that day, his eyes widened at the sight before him. Kaiton had also been... er... changed, and if possible, he was even skinnier than before. He now had large, square bangs in front, and their body was also like a woman's... even more shapely than Saito.

Kaiton seemed confused by the boy's expression for a moment, until realization hit, causing _her_ to blush and turn around. "I-... I honestly don't know how this happened.... I just woke up like this, after I heard Saito yelling...."

Netto nodded, standing up. "None of us do. Saito's in the same position you are... that's why he was screeching--" He winced slightly as he was interrupted.

"I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP, ENZAN!!"

"...and still is." He concluded, sweatdropping. Netto cupped a hand over his chin as Kaiton stood up at well. "...Don't take this the wrong way... but you don't look to bad as a girl either."

Kaiton squeaked, blushing once more. Netto raised an eyebrow at this new sound. _'.... Does this mean I need to get used to that now...?_' He though, shaking his head. With a sigh, he began to walk back to Aaron's room.

"Anyways, we better wake the log up." He stated, opening the door to Aaron's room again. "Aaron!! Wake up, we got problems."

Aaron finally awoke, teleporting in front of Netto and Kaiton. "When don't w-...... _Woah_...." He stated, staring at Kaiton. A spark came into his eyes, reaching out a hand. "Must... feel...." He said in a daze, grabbing ahold of Kaiton's chest. "Warm... squishy... soft.... Aaron likey..."

Kaiton squealed, freezing on spot as the now she became even redder. "A-Aaron-kun!!"

Netto's eyebrow twitched, and he lifted a fist above Aaron's head.

Aaron was still talking in a strange way, his actions continuing. "Must.... keep... feeling.. so soft.... so, so-!" He fell to the ground with a large thub as Netto knocked him off of Kaiton, seeming to be extremely ticked off.

"... I.... hate.... people like that..." He muttered, his hand dropping to his side. He looked towards Kaiton, giving an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."

Kaiton looked down, trembling as he tried to calm down. "I-it's fine....."

Netto nodded, grabbing Kaiton by the arm and walking towards the bathroom. "Good. Now, let's get everyone together and figure this all out... "

The 'girl' was caught off by this action, looking off to the side. "R-right..." She whispered quietly. '_I don't get it.... why do I feel so nervous about this...?' _She thought to her self, though she quickly had her mind cleared by the following actions.

The door to the bathroom was ripped off its hinges, Enzan sprawled against it. It cracked the wall, and Enzan fell to the ground. Saito then leaped out of the bathroom, pouncing him so he couldn't get up.

**_"ENZAAAN!!! DONT. TRY. TO. FEEL. ME. UP. YOU. BASTARD!!!!"_**Enzan screamed as Saito began to punch and kick him. Kaiton and Netto were terrified, Netto being the first to speak.

"O-on second thought.... why don't we wait until Saito's done....?"

Kaiton nodded, the two running for dear life out of the house.

* * *

This is actually only part one. Stay tuned for part two!


	9. Dark Netto Gets Revenge, Part 2

_Dark Netto Gets Revenge, Part 2_

_

* * *

_

"..... What could have done this, exactly?"

Everyone bowed their heads in thought at Aaron's question. For an hour now, they had been discussing this in the living room, and there was still now specific answer.

"Could it have been an after affect of that fight a while ago...?" Saito wore a cape over his head during this private 'meeting' due to embarassment. However, despite this being his low point, he was still able to form a rounded guess in his statement.

Netto frowned. "That could be... that would explain why Enzan and Aaron wern't altered, since they weren't here... The same goes for me, since I share his biology... So I couldn't be infected... Saito and Kaiton were in the room the entire time..."

Enzan nodded, crossing his arms. "Well, we have a cause... but is there a cure?"

Aaron sighed, shaking his head. "Without any leads onto what type of virus this is, there'd be no way to find a sufficient anti-virus. For now... we'll have to wait and see if it dies out on it's own. I'll give it a week at longest."

Kaiton looked down. "I-... I see.... So, for the time being... S-Saito-kun and I are stuck like th-...this..."

Saito stood up, stretching slightly. "Looks like it... Well, I'm going out for a bit, since we've concluded this crappy little chat... in a way." He-..... _She_ made her way to the door, still wearing her cape. Before anyone could say anything, she was gone.

Netto shook his head, watching him leave. "... He didn't even think out how he was going to explain his position if he was caught..."

Enzan shrugged, wincing as he also stood up. He was still in pain from the morning's events, and moving didn't help any. "I'll take my leave too.... and make sure Saito doesn't get in serious trouble."

Aaron nodded to Enzan as he vanished out the door, leaving him, Netto, and Kaiton alone. Kaiton was quick to move as far away from Aaron as they could, causing his to run a hand through his hair.

"Kaiton, I said I was sorry! I was still half asleep, Damn it!!"

Netto turned to Aaron, scolding him. "Aaron, mind your language."

Aaron rolled his eyes in response. "Ok... mom. Oh, no wait. You'd be dad in this case, since Kaiton had a gender swap."

Kaiton looked away, turning a light shade of pink. Netto glared at Aaron after his response, shaking his head.

"Don't tease about that.... It's not fair on Kaiton's part."

Aaron leaned back in his seat. "Look who's getting all protective now. Seriously, I was only joking... No need to get in a fuss over it."

Netto narrowed his eyes. "Well, that 'joke' wasn't funny. As for being protective... Why wouldn't I be, when it's about someone close to me?? If it were Saito or Enzan, I'd do the same thing."

Kaiton only heard up until that second statement, completely taken off gaurd by that small notation. _'S-someone... c-close to him....?_' They thought to theirself quietly, their heartbeat beginning to race.

_'Darn this virus..... It's causing me to feel like **this**.....'_

"Kaiton?? Hello?"

Netto was looming over her, a dumbfounded expression enlighting his features. Kaiton responded by nearly falling out of his seat with surprise. She yelped slightly as she turned her head to him.

"A-ah... Sorry, I was just... thinking of things. Did you say something?" She stated, laughing nervously. She looked to where Aaron had been, only to find him gone, for the time being.

Netto nodded, crossing his leags in his seat. "Yeah.... I was asking you about... this 'fight' that Saito brought up...."

Kaiton flinched. "O-oh...? Wh-what about it...??" He askeed, his voice wavering a little.

Netto sighed. ".... That form you were in when I had woken up.... What are you, exactly...?" He asked quietly, seeming to be concerned.

Kaiton brought her knees to her chest, looking down. "I... don't even know myself. All I was told... was that I was their 'key to success'... I never understood what they meant.... But.... after seeing what I had done... I think I understand now..... They wanted my to use... that... on you and Saito-kun....."

Netto's features softened. "... That's exactly what they saw you as... a Key... not a living being." He whispered, moving a bit closer to Kaiton. "When we found you... that wasn't the first time they had done that to you... was it?"

Kaiton sighed, shaking her head. "... That's been going on since I was 7...." She closed her eyes, her throat throbbing slightly. "I-I.... l-let them do th-...that for 6 years... All.... all that time.... I c-couldn't fight them off..." Her voice was beginning to crack, due to emotional strain. The memories flooded her mind as if she was reliving them.

Netto cautiously, but tenderly wrapped an arm around Kaiton, sensing his discomfort. Kaiton forced herself to continue, her body beginning to tremble slightly.

"I-... I'm not even a 'Beast', like you and Saito-kun... I-..... I'm human, just like the others in this village... but..... Duo... forced me to fuse with a monster they'd created.... They can track me because of that.... I-I.... d-don't understand why they did this..... wh-why........ W-will... I become evil too, because I'm t-tainted....??"

Netto gritted his teeth together. He couldn't bare to see him like this. He slowly pulled her into an embrace. "Kaiton... don't you _dare_ think you tainted.... So what, if you're mixed with someone's creation? So what, if you can be tracked?? Kaiton.... no matter what you are physically... you're still an innocent child at heart...... I swear... on my life that I'll protect you for eternity, Kaiton. Mark my words... and don't forget them.... The mavericks won't ever get a chance to hurt you again..."

Kaiton's eyes widened, before finally returning to normal, tears starting to fall from them. "N-Netto-kun......" She whispered quietly, a white light beginning to engulf her. Netto blinked as it faded, revealing that Kaiton's body had gone back to normal.

Netto smiled. "Looks like the virus wore off after all..." His grip tightened slightly, and he began to laugh.

Kaiton nodded, looking down. _'But... if I'm normal again... why do I feel my heart racing?'_ He thought quietly, turning a dark shade pink He couldn't understand it... this was only a hug, right? Something normal friends did.... yet it made him this nervous...

Netto blinked, noticing his reaction. "Kaiton... I-"

"GUYS!!"

Both boys were surprised by the new voice, instantly breaking apart. Saito suddenly ran into the room, grinning as he pointed to his chest. "I'm normal again!"

Netto sweatdropped slightly as Aaron and Enzan also entered. "Th.... That's great, Saito. Really great...."

Aaron smirked as he moved towards Kaiton. "Kaiton's normal too... good. I didn't like having a mom in the house."

Netto shook his fist at him, glaring slightly. "Hey now... Not so close."

Aaron scoffed. "What? He's a guy now, so I can't do anything anyways!"

Kaiton nudged Netto's arm, warning him to let it go. Grudgingly, he listened. In an annoyed tone, he stood up, grabbing ahold of Kaiton's arm. "Come, Kaiton... let's leave this jerkhole."

"Ah! O-....Ok!" Kaiton stammered, and the two disappeared into another room.

Saito frowned, looking towards Aaron. "I know you're trying to be funny... but it's best if you apologize."

Aaron nodded, though he really didn't intend to. He had made a joke, and they hadn't gotten it. If they let it get them angry, it was their fault.

Enzan sighed. "Alright everyone, party's over... Let's find something to do for the rest of the day."

"Right!"

As Saito and Enzan tried to come up with an idea, a faint smile came to his lips.

_'Very soon.... I'll strike...._

as Master L...'


	10. Does This Look Familiar?

_Does This Look Familiar?_

As night fell, most of the group had called it a day and headed to bed-- except Aaron. Instead, he had stayed up in his room, working on a small project of his. It was near complete, appearing to by a metal diamond, filled with crystal and wires. It sparked slightly, causing him to chuckle lowly and quietly, as not to wake anyone up.

"There we go..... all done." He whispered, satisfied. Closing it while placing some of his own energy into it, it began to glow, the light slowly beginning to envelope the building, and even spreading beyond that. "With this, we will win...."

* * *

Netto slowly awoke hours later... and automatically knew something was wrong. For starters, his alarm clock should have woken him this morning, and he hadn't heard it at all. His uneasiness worsened as he opened his eyes. The room was different-- exactly like his old one, before he left home. He sat up slowly, a frown making creasing around his mouth as he stood slowly, looking out the window.

The sight before him was beatiful, yet terrifying at the same time. It was more like the country, unlike the suburbanized town they resided in. Large maple trees were on the lawn of fresh, green grass. The sky was a clear blue, as if all the polution of the earth was removed. Netto instantly recognized this terrain- which was why he was scared.

"Wh-what...?" He asked in a shaky voice, stepping back, away from the window. "Th-.... This can't be real. I must be dreaming..." He concluded, paling slightly as he looked down at his clothes. They were torn, and ragged. Almost as if he had survived a war... Frantically, he pinched his arm, causing him to cry out. It wasn't a dream...

"So you're up."

Netto instantly turned to the new voice. There stood Saito in the door way, looking casual. Except, he looked different. His usual grey hair was a navy blue, and his eyes were an emerald green. The only thing that hadn't changed was his white T-shirt and jeans. He seemed amused by Netto's expression.

"What's with the face? I'm not the one who fell from the sky... Human."

"Saito! What happened?! Why are we here?!" Netto asked, running over to him and grabbing him by his collar. "Where's Kaiton, Enzan and Aaron?!! Do you remember?! Saito!!!"

Saito narrowed his eyes, slapping his hands away. "Don't touch me... I don't know what you're talking about... and I'm Megaman, not 'Saito.'"

Netto fell to his knees, running his hands through his hair. "It can't be.... We were taken to the past... but... how....?" He asked quietly, shaking his head. He was literally shaking.

Saito raised an eyebrow.

"...Hmmph. Well, someone's crazy."

* * *

"Netto, come _on _already! It's a quarter past ten!" Enzan yelled, knocking on his door. There was a slight groan, followed by a few steps. Finally, the door opened, and 'Netto's' eyes widened.

"Chaud?! B-... But.... you.... You were killed in that war!!"

Enzan facepalmed, sighing. "Don't even start that... NewsFlash, Netto Hikari, the war didn't happen in this world...."

Netto blinked. "What?!! And stop calling me Netto, it's La-!!"

"Could. Someone. Please. Shut. Off. The. Damn. Racket." Saito stated in an aggrivated tone, walking up to the two. There were bags under his eyes. "Now what's this about war?"

Enzan crossed his arms. "Netto is thinking of 'that' war. The one that destroyed earth, and forced us to rebuild it?"

Saito snapped his fingers. "I remember that! Man, that was one trip back then..."

Netto frowned. "What... are you talking about? All I remember is going through a portal and ending up here..."

Enzan blinked, confused. Suddenly, realization hit, and he walked over to a wall and slammed his head against it. "Damn it all!!"

Saito tilted his head to the side. "Enzan...? What's wrong?"

Enzan turned around, scowling. "We've switched Nettos! _Our_ Netto is stuck in the past, and this Netto _is_ the past Netto!!"

Netto looked down. "So that's what it is..."

Saito nodded. "Yes.... and if we don't fix this...."

* * *

"We're screwed."

Saito, or 'Megaman' in this time period rubbed his temples in annoyance as Netto paced the room, eyes widened by shock, worry, and stress.

"We're doomed. We're all going to die. We're screwed. Completely, utterly screwed. We're done fo-"

"SHUT UP ALREADY!!!" Megaman yelled, red in the face. After calming down, he sat down, sighing. "Just shut up and let me think."

Netto nodded, only to hear a knok at the door. He instantly walked over to it, only to be shoved out of the way by Megaman. As Megaman opened the door, it turned out to be Roll.

Netto knew what was coming, and he covered his ears as Megaman said some choice words to her before slamming the door shut, growling. He sighed heavily, placing his head in his hands.

"I hate doing things over...."

* * *

* * *


	11. Chapter 11

Saito sighed heavily as as dropped onto the sofa in the living room, the moon's rays lighting up him face as it would an angel's. He really didn't know what to feel, exactly. Their Netto was still stuck in the past, and they weren't any closer to fixing the solution. However, there was a bigger issue. Who had made this problem to begin with? Could it have been the mavericks? Or maybe one of.....?

He instantly shook his head, as if to get the thoughts out of his mind that way. Surely it wasn't one of their group. Surely it couldn't be.... But why did Aaron seem so calm when they disscussed everything with the others? Even Kaiton was worried sick, and wouldn't talk to anyone until he found a way to bring Netto back... but Aaron... yes, he had shown worry... but Saito and Enzan could see through the mask. He wasn't worried at all. And to make matters worse, he had left right after the meeting. Maybe Aaron is-

"Saito-kun!"

The boy slowly sat up, the interruption breaking his trail of thought rather suddenly. Blinking, he turned his head to who had called his name. It was Kaiton. He had bags under his eyes, and seemed paler than usual. It appeared as if he hadn't gotten a wink of rest, and was paying dearly for it. However, his eyes were bright, and filled with hope.

"What is it, Kaiton?" Saito asked, gently prying himself off of the sofa.

"We found a way to contact Netto-kun!" The boy cried, smiling.

Saito felt as if a brick load was lifted off of his shoulders, a sigh of relief escaping his lips. "Thank goodness... Alright, let's go then." He concluded, and the two walked through the house.

They stopped as they reached the outside. Enzan was there, perspiration on his forehead due to working. A large device was in front of him, glowing with a blue aura. Saito walked up to him, frowning.

Enzan glanced towards Saito, straightening his figure and turning to him. "This.... was found in Aaron's room. It's the tool that caused the switch. All I did wasalter it to do the opposite of it's original function."

Saito nodded. "So it'll bring our Netto back... and bring the Netto with us currently home."

"Exactly... all we need to do is activate it." Enzan stated, and a heavy silence fell upon the three boys. All gave side glances to one another, each afraid to do the deed.

"Oh, alright, alright!" Saito stated, aggrivated by the quiet. "I'll do it..." He muttered, pressing a button on the device. A bright light came from it, causing Saito and Enzan to back away as it engulfed them, along with the house.

As the light faded, it revealed Netto, who was finishing the line he was about to say in the other world. "--and for the last time! Ducks _are_ evil, damn you! They'll take over the-..... Oh, hello..." Netto stated, feeling embarassed about this friends hearing that.

Saito and Enzan stared at him blankly, Saito finally speaking after a long moment. "...I'm not even going to ask. Anyways.... welcome back." He gave a slight smirk. He would _definately_ never let him live that line down.

Netto nodded. "Glad to be back. Who did that?"

"Aaron." Saito and Enzan choursed simaltaneously, causing Netto to flinch.

"What?! But Aaron... he betrayed us..." He muttered quietly. "That's 3 friends of ours now.... and we might just end up fighting them...."

They all nodded in agreement with the statement, their eyes downcast. However, the mood quickly passed as they heard a soft thud upon the grass. They turned to see it was Kaiton who had caused the noise, by falling to the ground. They all checked him over before deciding that he had only fallen asleep, due to being purely exhausted.

"..Sleeping is a good idea. I'm hitting the sack." Netto stated, picking up Kaiton bridal style and taking him up to his room.

Enzan and Saito nodded, also heading up to their rooms.

Tonight would be a _long_ night...

* * *

Aaron hummed a small tune as he entered the household of the group. He appeared satisfied, and blood covered his shirt. It was nearing midnight, and it seemed that most of the group had been out for hours, and every light was out. He smiled as he took a seat on the sofa, thinking ge hadn't been caught.

"...Traitor..."

Aaron spun his head around in shock at the voice, recognzing it even through pitch darkness.

"N-Netto! I.... I got rid of you!!"

The figure crossed its arms. "You tried to.... but you failed. I'm back... and... we all know you netrayed us, Aaron."

After a long moment, Aaron smiled. "I see.... there's no hiding anything anymore then... I am Master Z.... the leader of the mavericks, including Duo... I arranged for Maylu's death... I arranged for Duo to hurt Kaiton...... I am your enemy, and the next time you and I meet... it will be in battle." He stated, vanishing with a low chuckle.

"Aaron!!" Netto tried to tackle him before he vanished, only to hit the sofa face first. He stayed still for a good moment after that, remaining silent. He finally spoke after sitting up, growling as he stood up, making his way up to his room to sleep.

"Damn it....."

* * *

AN: ARG! Again, it's short! -_-

...*sigh* Alright, it should get longer after this, since now we'll get into the real fights... hehehe.

_Anyways, _I have a poll going on on my profile. Please either give an answer in reviews, or answer the poll. Here's the question:

Do You Want Pairings In Finding The Truth? If so, which ones?

Netto/Saito

Netto/Kaiton

Netto/Maylu

Saito/Kaiton

Saito/Enzan

Saito/Roll

Enzan/Roll

Enzan/Maylu

Protoman (Blues, Jet)/Roll

Blues/Saito

I don't care/I don't want any pairings


	12. I Want To Wake Up

"Protoman!!"

The said teen, who was currently sitting on their dwelling's floor turned his head to see who had called him by name. It was Roll, who appeared rather excited, and.... Aaron was right behind her. Protoman instantly grabbed for his sword, but Roll stopped him.

"No! He's _Master Z, _Protoman!! He'll be staying with us..."

Aaron nodded in conformation, and Protoman grudgingly dropped his sword, letting out a heavy sigh. "Why is he here? I thought he was with-"

"I was... discovered." Aaron stated, crossing his arms. "However, it doesn't mean that we've lost... Trust me... the war has only just begun..." He concluded with a grin, causing the other two to smirk in return.

Indeed..... the fight was far from over.

* * *

Netto sighed as he awoke from his slumber, slowly getting out of bed and getting ready for the day. It had been a week since Aaron's identity had been discovered, and everyone was on edge. Trust was beginning to fall apart, and to make matters worse, friendship was falling towards the boundary line, and tension in the atmosphere was rising. However... today's atmosphere was the worse yet. That was a grim sign that something was going to go off... and it was going to be big.

Cautiously, he made his way downstairs, quietly hoping that his fears were only superstitious. Those hopes were broken to pieces as he reached the last step. He could here voices from the backyard.... Saito and Enzan's. They were literally screaming their hearts out. With a raised eyebrow, he walked through the house, towards the back door. Words were clearer now, and they caused the boy's blood to freeze.

"Enzan, what the _hell_ are you saying?! So what if Aaron betrayed us?! We can get him back!!!"

"Stop being a fool, Saito! We have to kill him! Protoman and Roll too!!"

As Netto opened the door, he saw Saito and Enzan scowling at one another, set in a battle stance. Pure hatred shown in both pairs of eyes, causing his hair to stand on end. Kaiton was trying to break the two apart, and failing miserably.

"S-Saito-kun, E-Enzan-kun! Please, stop this!"

Saito ignored him, countering Enzan's statement. "He's my brother, you bastard! As for Protoman and Roll... they're our friends!"

Enzan also continued. "They're traitors now! As they say, traitors never change back!!!"

"How do we know **_you're_** not a traitor too, huh?! That means I'd have to kill you as well!!"

_"**I** **could say the same about you!!!" **_

The two lunged towards each other, and Kaiton placed his arms between the two, almost pleading with them this time. "G-guys! P.....Please....!!"  
_**  
**_They once again ignored him. Saito went into his armor, while Enzan held a rifle, the two trying to go at each other once more. Kaiton once again tried to shove them apart, and Netto was about to help... until _that_ happened....

**_"STAY THE HELL OUT OF IT, KAITON!!!!" _**Enzan screeched, shooting Kaiton three times directly in the chest out of pure anger.

Kaito's eyes went wide for a moment, before they glazed over and he fell to the ground. A pool of blood formed beneath him, and a hole was in his chest, thanks to the rifle. Netto's heart stopped beating at that moment, and he ran towards Kaiton.

"Kaiton!!!" He yelled, kneeling next to thewounded boy. Enzan's face twisted into a look of horror, and he dropped the rifle as if it was scalding his hands.

"K-Kaiton.... no..... I... I didn't mean to-"

"Forget that and get the first aid kit!!" Netto hollered, glaring at him. He quickly placed his hands on the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding.

Enzan didn't hesitate as he ran back into the house, leaving the remaining three along foe a few seconds. Saito was frozen in pure terror, his eyes widened tremendously. Netto continued to hold the wound, panicked.

"Kaiton, hang in there! Kaiton!!"

_"Kaiton!!"_

_

* * *

_

An hour had passed since the events, and everyone was in the living room. Kaiton was layed down on the floor, bandeges covering his entire chest, and Netto and Saito kneeling on either side of him. Enzan was sitting on the sofa, his head in his hands.

"What have I done....? Kaiton could've...."

Netto looked up from Kaiton, crossing his arms. "Enzan, I honestly am ashamed to call you a friend right now. You didn't only hurt a teammate... you nearly killed a friend... Kaiton almost died today...."

Enzan lowered his gaze, while Saito seemed somewhat prideful. That was soon ended, however, when Netto turned to him.

"Saito, I'm even more ashamed of you. Now with Enzan, I didn't know him for so long. He wasn't as close to me. But you, Saito... you're practically the closest thing I have to a brother on this planet. You could've pulled back, and acted mature about the situation. Instead, you acted like a kid and fought back. You weren't holding the gun, nor were you the one who fired it... but you're just as responsible here..."

Saito also looked down, bowing his head. "I'm sorry...."

Netto sighed. "You two can go and rest for a bit... I'm going to stay here and moniter Kaiton's condition..."

The two nodded, leaving the room. Netto ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head slightly. He honestly wished that at any moment, he could wake up. To before this all happened.... to before he and Saito left home...

_'If you ever wish to come back... We'll be here..."_

That's what Yuuichirou had told them before they left. Closing his eyes, he gave a shaky sigh. Maybe, just mabe, he could.......

"N... Netto-kun......"

The boy instantly looked to Kaiton, who had awoken. He looked tired and weak, but he was alright. "...I'm sorry......"

Netto blinked, shoving away his pondering for the time being. "Why are you apologizing?.... _They_ hurt _you_..."

Kaiton looked away. "Yes..... but.... I wasn't able to stop them..... I'm... really sorry..... I'll... do better next time..."

Netto frowned, placing a hand on Kaiton's forehead. "You listen here... there won't be a next time.... Not here, anyway..."

"Eh...?"

"As soon as you get better....

we're moving back to Den Tech."


	13. When Things Get Bad, They Get Worse

A week had passed since Saito and Enzan's fight, and Kaiton was finally able to move around normally. Netto saw this, and knew it was time to discuss with the group about what he wished to do. However, as he explained his plan, Saito was against the idea.

Netto sighed as he tried to convince his friend for the fifth time that day. "Saito.... we need to go back. Our main reason for being out here is gone, and it seems fitting to end this where we started."

Saito shook his head. "No! It's too dangerous! What if Aaron and the other mavericks follow us? The entire town will be screwed!"

"And it will be even more screwed if we stay here." Netto pointed out, crossing his arms. "Maylu's dead... Roll and Protoman are with the mavricks... No one is there to look over the city, vurrently. Aaron knows where it is, and won't hesitate to blow it up."

Saito looked down before nodding hesitantly. "Fine, I give up..... I'll go with you all, but if we end up in trouble... the burden of regret won't be on my shoulders."

Netto nodded in return, calling through the entire house. "Alright, men! Let's get our bags together and go!"

Kaiton and Enzan responded from separate parts of the house, and the plan was set into action.

Within hours, they'd be heading for Den Tech.

* * *

(Den Tech, 4 years later)

"Netto-kun!? Saito-kun?! Enzan-kun?! _ANYONE_?!"

A 17 year old Kaiton was currently running through the ruins of what had been Den Tech. His hair was longer, and his clothing had become torn, and ragged. Blood covered him, and most wasn't even his own, but that of his comrades and enemies. He looked around desperately for his friends, but had no such luck. Eventually, he came to where their base had been. The sight before him was disturbing and horrifying.....

In front of him lat the bodies of Saito, Netto, and Enzan. Enzan had his hands and feet nailed to the floor, and had then been gutted like a fish. The look of fear was plastered on his stone cold face, which was half covered in blood. He had been stripped of his clothing, and the items were burned beside him.

Saito's death wasn't as gruesome, but it was still terrifying. He had had his heart ripped out, and it had then been stuffed down his throat. What made it disturbing was that he was... smiling. It was a forced smile, as well. Had he been trying to comfort the others....?

"Kaiton....."

The boy whirled around instantly, looking to see who had called him. It had come from Netto, lying on the floor a ways away from him... He was still alive! However... he was injured severely, and you could tell be the look on his face-.. He wasn't going to live much longer. Kaiton scrambled to his side, eyes welled with unshed tears.

"Netto-kun..."

Netto gave a weak smile. "Kaiton.... thank goodness.... you're.... alright.... I'm sorry.... but... you're the only one left now..... the rest of earth is gone.....and pretty soon.....I'll-"

"Don't say that!!" Interrupted Kaiton, shaking his head. "Y-you'll be ok.... I just have to patch you up again... you'll be ok...!" His voice was cracking, overwhelmed by emotion. He froze as he felt a cold hand brush against his face, wiping away a tear that had fallen.

Netto looked him straight in the eyes, almost pleading with him. "Kaiton.... go back..... to before.... this.... happened...... fix this......... So.... maybe.... we...... you..... I....... can............... be.............." He grew silent, and his hand fell to his side.

"N....Netto-kun? Netto-kun?!!" Kaiton tried to shake him, but he recieved no reply. At that moment, he lost it, breaking into sobs. "Everyone...... gone.... Why? Why did this have to happen...?"

_'Go... back to before this happened.....' _

The words replayed themselves in his head, and realization hit. They had been working on a time machine for the past year, hoping to go back together and change this... maybe they completed it before they were killed? He slowly stood, moving into where the lab of the building had been. As he neared it, he nearly choked. The machine was fully done, and charged.

"...... Everyone... don't worry... I'll fix this!" He muttered, leaping into the machine.

* * *

(Present Time)

Netto, Saito, Enzan, and Kaiton were currently at the door of their house, bags in their arms. Netto was checking things off, while the others looked for any items named.

"Alright," Netto stated, "it looks like we have everything. Let's go-"

"DON'T!!!!"

A voice screamed through their house, causing them all to freeze. In front of them, a young appeared, covered in blood. His body was firmly built by muscles, but it wasn't like a body builder's. His hair went down to his ankles, covering most of his back. He fell to his knees due to the physical stress of time travel, taking the boys off gaurd.

The man spoke again after a moment, quieter this time. "Don't... please... if you go back to Den Tech.... all of you will die......."

Netto frowned. "Who are you?" He asked sternly, prepared to fire if it was an enemy.

"Don't you remember me, Netto-kun...?" The man asked, looking up with a sad smile. Scars covered his face, but all could recognize him aside from it. ".....It's me......" He continued,

"..... Kaiton."


	14. Chapter 14

"...So you're saying going back to Den Tech means death?" Saito inquired with an eyebrow raised. Setting their bags by the door, the four boys had taken a seat in the front room, the man claiming to be an older Kaiton sitting across from them.

"Not... exactly," The older teen answered, crossing his arms. He looked simalar to Kaiton, yes, but the inner person had long since changed. He seemed too mature for his age, and the child-like innocence that gleamed in most children had faded from his eyes.

"... Going back wasn't the main problem. It was the relationships..... If I recall this time correctly, I'm guessing Saito and Enzan had their fight.... correct?"

The say two were taken off gaurd by the last statement, but all nodded, causing the man to sigh. "That was the start. Sadly, it only got worse from there. Netto had thought going to his home town would help, but..."

Netto's shoulders dropped ever so slightly, and it was barely noticable as a wave of sorrow passed by his eyes. "... The group split, didn't it?"

Kaiton's older self bowed his head, looking grim. "...Yes. The fights became too terrible, and our only option was to break apart... By the time we had become a team again, Aaron's armies were spread out world wide... We were helpless against them, and one by one... every single human and reploid was killed..... Mavericks are all that's left. I truly believe it was the stress of being in that city, where Aaron, Protoman, and Roll were."

After he finished, the room became completely silent. The thoughts of such a future terrified them, and they had no ideas of how to stop it. However, Enzan somehow was able to find something to say.

"How..... can we prevent this?"

"..... One way is to not go to Den Tech... not until this mess between Saito and Enzan clears up." The young man stated, staring at then intently. "I can still see it in both of your eyes... that despair and hatred. We hadn't realized it before, but they had never apologized to one another... and left things uneven."

Netto stood slowly, frowning. "I'll make sure we do that. However, until this is cleared, it'd be best if we figured out a nickname for either you or Kaiton... since you two share a name." He pointed out, shrugging.

Saito snapped his fingers. "I know! The grown up Kaiton can still be Kaiton, and out Kaiton can be called Kai!!"

The younger Kaiton nearly choked. "Why is my name being changed, when he's the guest?"

The older Kaiton chuckled. "There's no need for that.... Yes, I was called Kaiton by you three in my era, but... to the others, I was Riku."

They all blinked before each slowly nodded in acceptance of it. Kaiton was next to ask a question.

"Um.... may I ask.... how you-... Well... 'I' survived?"

Riku sighed. "I had been in a prison as the final few people were killed. Thankfully, I escaped by... drastic measures...."

Netto shook his head. "Well, that's a nice cheery, little future. How far away is this?"

"Four years..... The time warp aged me by a year or two, but the time the tragedy occurs is still the same."

"I see..... One more question." Saito stated, taring at Riku intently.

Riku, feeling a bit uncomfortable under the gaze, coughed slightly. "Yes...?"

Before Riku could say anything else, Saito had jumped onto him. The 13 year old was soon poking at his arms and legs, going into a semi-pout. Netto and Enzan just stared blankly, while Kaiton seemed almost a bit... scared.

Saito crossed his arms and turned away. "It's not fair! He has these gigantic muscles and he's tall! Not fair, I say!!!"

Netto nearly face faulted. "He's at least 5 or 6 years older than you... of course he be taller and more powerful....."

Saito glared at him. "So?! It's still not fair!"

Riku, who had been silent with surprise this entire time, caused everyone to grow silent once he started laughing. He slowly picked Saito up and set him on the floor, giving a smile.

"It's been a while since I've seen something like this... I almost forgot that everyone used to be so lively..... Ah, I almost forgot!" He looked towards Kaiton. ".... I know what you're thinking, about the team and you.... don't think those thoughts. Trust me... if you don't, you'll be a lot happier."

Kaiton flinched. "A-ah..... R-right.... thank you for the advice...." He replied, looking away.

Riku blinked. "Huh......" He began to look Kaiton over, placing a hand on his chin. "... I can't believe I was this shy...."

"Wh-what....?" Kaiton turned a bit red, refusing to make eye contact. "I-... I'm not shy..."

Riku smirked. "Really.... Anyways... I've concluded my warning. Whether you listen or not is your choice.... Choose wisely." He concluded, standing up. "I better go..."

Enzan frowned. "I thought you were going to make sure we followed your orders by staying here..."

Riku froze right at the doorway. "... I'll still be watching you.... I just won't live here."

Netto crossed his arms. "Why not?"

Riku closed his eyes. "....It's painful... that's all I'll say."

He was gone in an instant, leaving the group alone.

"Well....?" Netto stated, crossing his arms.

Saito sighed, looking off to the side. "...... Sorry Enzan."

Enzan grinned, punching his shoulder. "Likewise..... Hmmph... this mood is terrible. Why don't we fix it be taking a tour around town?"

"Agreed!!" They all choursed.

* * *

Riku groaned as he awoke from his slumber, and to his surprise... he was on a bed. Sitting up instantly, he found himself in his room.... His eyes widened trememdously. "They... did it...?"

"No, Kaiton... you did."

The young man spun around, only to see Saito, Enzan, and Netto- from his era- behind him. Netto grinned at Kaiton's eyes welled with tears, causing him to laugh.

"You saved the present, Kaiton...

Thank you."

* * *

A/N: Alright, it's done! Unfortunately, I have some bad news... This story... has around 3-4 chapters left 'till the end. (You probably knew this.) Enjoy the final chapters!


	15. Chapter 15

A few weeks had gone by, and everyone had grown rather anxious as September was nearer than ever. The reason for the uneasy feeling was simple: on September 1st, they planned on taking down Aaron, and hopefully bring Protoman and Roll back on their side. However, the latter would be a difficult task.

For one thing, Aaron was residing in their old hometown, which meant they'd have to be careful as to not destroy any homes, schools, or landmarks. Also... Aaron's power levels were more in the range of Saito's and Netto's, putting Enzan and Kaiton at a disadvantage. To make it even worse, no one was truly sure of Saito would be able to face Aaron.... Not even the boy himself knew.

None the less, they only had 1 day left to clean up everything, and be prepared. Whatever they were now, that was how they'd fight. Now, all they needed to do was wait, and say anything they needed to say now, unless they didn't come back alive... Currently, they were talking in the kitchen.

"....I guess this is it. Tomorrow will mean the difference between life and death, practicaly..." Saito commented, staring out the window. The others nodded in response, though Enzan was the one to speak next.

"Yeah.... if we lose.... we'll all die...."

"And that won't happen." Netto interrupted. He was scowling fiercely as the table, making Kaiton a bit nearvous. "...I won't let what happened before happen again..."

Kaiton blinked. "Eh....?"

Saito sighed heavily. "... Before this, Eart had been... destroyed, by mavericks. Only 6 from here survived.... It was a miracle that we were able to get it back..."

Netto looked up from the table, nodding. "And that's why we can't let it happen again. We don't have the reality changer this time. If we fail, that's it. Game over."

Enzan groaned, running a hand through his hair. "Why does all this crap seem to follow us everywhere...?"

"We'll never know, Enzan. We'll never know.... but we have to deal with it anyway." Netto replied, standing up. "Well, I'm not just gonna sit here all day. I'm going to take a walk around the city. Who's with me?"

Kaiton raised his hand weakly, looking off to the side. "...Me..."

Netto smiled a bit, grabbing Kaiton's arm. "Let's go then."

With that, the two vanished, leaving Saito and Enzan alone. Saito yawned, kicking the table out of boredom while Enzan watched intently. Saito was bothered by this, but managed to ignore it for a bit. However, he only could stand it for so long...

With a twitching eyebrow and a pulsing vein on his forehead, he looked towards Enzan. "What..?" He asked in a tone of annoyance.

Enzan scooted a bit closer. "....Can I join?" He asked quietly.

Saito blinked a bit before shrugging and going back to what he was doing. "Sure..."

Enzan nodded, and also began kicking the table....

Indeed, boredom had driven them to harassing a table.... now to only make it last the whole day.

* * *

Netto and Kaiton had stopped at the park for a rest after about an hour, and the two were currently sitting on a bench, watching children in the distance play. Well--... Netto was, anyways. Kaiton was fidgiting a bit, looking at the ground, thoughts filling his mind entirely. After a moment or two, he was finally able to speak.

"N-Netto-kun...?"

Netto raised an eyebrow, glancing towards him. "Yes?"

Kaiton looked down. "I...... I need to say something before we..... get into this battle against Aaron..."

Netto seemed to urge him on. "Yes....?"

Kaiton turned a bit red, trying to form the words. "I.... I like you, Netto-kun..... I really like you...."

Netto stared at him for a long time before sighing. "Kaiton... I'm... not like that. Even if I was.... I loved Maylu before they killed her.... and that scar will take a while to heal.... a long while. I'm sorry." He concluded, crossing his arms.

Kaiton nodded. He kept a straight face, though inside he felt like crying right then. "It's fine... I... had a feeling you'd say that. We're still friends though, right?"

Netto gave a faint smile. "Of course.... You stopped stuttering." He pointed out, blinking.

Kaiton looked back towards the playing children, frowning. ".... I.... guess meeting my old future self caused me to become a bit stronger..."

Netto crossed his arms. "I'm glad... we'll need everyone to be as strong as they can get for this war."

"Right...." Kaiton replied, and a drawling silence passed between them before Netto stood.

"It's about time we head back..." He stated, beginning to walk.

Kaiton sighed softly, standing up as well and trailing behind him, his head lowered. "Right...." He repeated.

A while into their walking, Netto spoke again, causing Kaiton to flinch. "Anyhow... about what I said earlier.... give me time..... Maybe... once this ends, I might just say yes..."

Kaiton's eyes widened slightly, surprised by the statement. Once the feeling passed, he smiled ever so slightly.

"...Alright."

* * *

A/N: Ok, sadly, the vote tally favored the Netto/Meiru pairing, so I had to have Netto say no. To anyone he likes this stuff, I'm sorry. Maybe in the epilogue... Hm.....

Anyways, thank you for reading, and Bye-bye!


	16. Final Confrontations

In DenTech, the town was having their annual Fall festival. Many civilians conversed in the streets, and mostly everyone was outside. However, one residence was not...

"Master Z...."

Aaron lifted his head as he heard someone calling him. He was currently laying on a sofa, looking through some records. He turned to face Roll, who was standing in the doorway.

"They're here......" Roll concluded. She didn't have to say who 'they' were. He knew all to well, and slowly rose to his feet, a grin on his face.

"Good," He replied, chuckling darkly,

"Let the battle begin....."

* * *

This was it for Netto and his group, and all four knew of this. They had taken the train to DenTech that night, and they were currently at the border of it, watching for anything suspicious.

"This won't be easy," Saito said in a whisper with his arms crossed. "The festival is going on right now, which means we'll need to get the fight finished as quickly as possible... or someone will get hurt."

All nodded, and the atmosphere became thick with excitement, and fear. Netto closed his eyes, balling up his fists as he thought of past events. Everything they'd gone through... it all was for this moment...

"Alright," He began, reopening his eyes to glance at his friends. "Enzan, you'll be responsible for taking down Roll. Kaiton, you'll be taking down Protoman... And Saito...." He turned towards him, frowning. "You'll assist me in taking down Aaron. Does everyone understand?"

Hesitantly but firmly, each of them slowly nodded in conformation. Netto smirked slightly. "Alright. Disperse!" He called, and each person ran in a different directiontheir hearts racing with anticipation.

* * *

Enzan was the first to reach his target. No more that a dozen yards into his run, he felt an arrow buzz by his ear, slicing his cheek a little. He instantly stopped, looking in the direction the arrow had come from. There stood Roll, smiling.

"Nice to see you again..." She said coldly, giggling insanely. "Dark Heart Blast!!" She exclaimed, a purple beam erupting from the heart desind on her chest and moving towards Enzan.

Enzan narrowly dodged, shaking his head with a sigh. "I with I could say the same," He muttered, pulling out a strange gun. It was a light blue in color, and there was a chip slot where bullets would be fired in an actual gun.

Roll's attention drifted to it, her face falling. "What is that?"

Enzan lifted it slowly. "I may not have any abilities like Netto or Saito.... but I know my devices. This fires a certain chip that will go into your system, and literally turn you to into nothing but ashes."

Roll laughed again. "Good luck with hitting me with that!!!" She exclaimed, firing more blasts at him.

Enzan growled as he doded them all once more- except this time, one hit his leg at the last second. It left a nasty burn, but he could move around on it still. Silently, he cursed to himself.

_'I need to end this quickly... or I'll end up not having enough strength to dodge, or fire properly... damn..._'

* * *

Kaiton was the next to find his target. Or, better said- Protoman found him. Feeling a strange heat coming towards him, he put up a barrier. His suspiscions of an attack were proven corrent as a black ball of electricity collided with his barrier, making a large explosion on the outside of it. He slowly dropped the barrier after the smoke cleared, revealing Protoman.

"....I'm guessing you're the one Netto-kun told me to attack.... Protoman..." Kaiton stated, and Protoman nodded.

Unlike Roll, Protoman's expression remained one of stone. Without saying a word, he moved towards him quickly but silently, aiming his sword at his heart. Kaiton frowned at this, getting ready to make a move.

The battle had begun.

* * *

"Lightning Barrage!!!!"

Aaron screamed in agony as he felt Netto's attack hit him square in the chest, sending him backwards to the ground. Their fight had been going on for an hour now, and Netto was going into overdrive. Saito had been knocked out, and his friend was not happy about it. Aaron was struggling, and both knew it.

"How does it _feel,_ Aaron? Having pain inflicted on you like this, as you've done to others? Hm??"

Aaron grunted in response, standing up. "I'm not done yet....." He muttered, his eyes beginning to change to a bright red. Black wings erupted from his back, and a dark aura surrounded him as he smiled.

"Behold.... the power of the Dark King!!!!" He exclaimed, vanishing.

Netto looked around frantically, only to freeze as something cold went through his chest.... something sharp and cold. He looked down to see a sword through his chest, and he gradually opened his mouth to scream, his eyes widening.

* * *

_"AHHHHHHHH!!!!"_

Kaiton exclaimed as he was attacked with a barrage of knives, each one hitting a different area: his neck, chest, shoulders, and abdomen. He fell to the ground face first, the points of the weapongs sticking out of his back. Protoman stood and watched as a pool of blood formed beneath him.

"Hmmph... Such a weak oponent.." He muttered, walking away.

"Wait....."

The teen instantly stopped after hearing a voice, turning back around. To his amazement, Kaiton was standing back up... However, he had a different look in his eyes than before. Slowly, he began to pull out each blade, even the ones in his neck without hesitation. Blood poued from the wound, but he ignored it, oddly enough.

"Time freeze..." He muttered, sending an invisible wave towards Protoman. Still in a daze by the sight before him, the wave hit its mark, causing his body to cease movement.

Protoman growled slightly. "What is this?!"

"I.... can't lose..... Not this time......" Kaiton whispered, his head low. "I definately can't lose.......!!" He suddenly charged towards Protoman despite his injuries, a white sphere in his hands. "I need to win no matter what!!!"

Protoman could only watch as the attack aimed for him, unable to move as it landed on its mark......

"No....."

* * *

"No, It can't be!!" Roll screeched as she felt her body fall away into dust. Chaud's shot had made its mark, despite the fact that she had broken his arm halfway through the battle.

Enzan fell to his knees as Roll become completely turned into ashes, leaving him as the victor. "Forgive me.... Roll...."

He whispered, saddened by the loss. However, he was glad he had won. Eventually, exhaustion took over his body, and he silently passed out, hitting the ground with a soft thud.

* * *

Unfortunately for Netto, he wasn't anywhere near winning at this point. In fact, Aaron was winning currently. Netto was on his knees, clutching the wound he had been dealt with a scowl on his face. Aaron had put him in a time warp, freezing him on spot. In basic terms, he was helpless.

Aaron grinned, walking up to him. "So pathetic..... I really thought you had me there, but.... Oh well......" He lifted the blade again, preparing to stab him in the neck. "Goodbye..."

Netto looked down, unable to make a move in his current state. He was about to give up, and accept Aaron as the victor... fitting, huh-

_'Netto, you can do it!'_

_'Don't let that bastard win, Netto. It'll leave a mark on your pride...'_

_'Hang in there, Netto-kun! For all of us....'_

Netto was startled by those thoughts. "Everyone.....?" He asked quietly. Suddenly, he fely a warmth in him- a power stronger than he'd ever expierianced before.

Aaron chuckled. "Ready to die, Netto?"

Netto lifted his head after a moment, his wounds healing. "No.... _You're_ the one who's gonna die..." He muttered, firing a white sphere at him.

Aaron winced as he was thrown back, taken off gaurd by the attack. "What?! How?! I placed you in a time distortion!!"

Netto stood up slowly. It was his turn to smile now. "There are things stronger than that.... like hope!!" He yelled, sending a blast larger than his normal attacks towards him.

Aaron was hit with it, being sent farther back. Netto took a step forward, firing another blast. "And friendship!!"

Again, he was hit, sending him to the ground. There was a burn where he had been hit. Netto walked over to him, kneeling beside him. "And one more thing......."

"No...." Aaron pleaded.

"And it's.... LOVE!!!" He screamed, sending one blast right at his face. Aaron screamed as well, before fading away, Netto being the victor. At first, he couldn't believe he'd won, but soon enough he realised the truth. However, he suddenly felt weak, and he hit the ground, losing consciousness.

"Hey!! Are you alright?!"

A man in a white coat running up to him was the last thing he saw before a curtain of black took over....

* * *

The next time Netto awoke, he found himself in..... his old room? Saito, Enzan, and Kaiton were all around him, glad to see he was up.

"Thank goodness..." Enzan muttered, crossing his arms. "We were wondering if you'd wake up."

Saito laughed. "At least he didn't take too long."

Kaiton wasn't sure what to do: cry or laugh with Saito. He decided to just smile. "I'm glad you're alright..." He whispered quietly.

Netto frowned. "How... long was I out...?"

"Around a week," Saito replied, shrugging. "Thankfully, dad took us back in. Enzan could've left, but he said he wasn't going until you were awake. Kaiton will be living with us from now on, though."

Netto slowly absorbed the information, slowly sitting up. "I see..... well... Thanks for staying," He told Enzan with a laugh.

Enzan smirked. "No problem." He stated, giving a wave before leaving the room.

"I'll go get Dr. Hikari..." He called, walking downstairs.

"Ah, I'll go with him. I'll be back in a bit, you two!" He also waved, running out of the room. "Wait for me!!"

Kaiton and Netto laughed slightly before looking at each other, smiling.

"Finally..." Netto sighed, getting out of bed. "It's over..."

Kaiton nodded. "Yes... um..... I hope you don't mind that I'm..." He trailed off, looking off to the side.

Netto raised an eyebrow. "Living with us? Why would I mind?"

Kaiton shifted uncomfortably. "Because, I-"

"Kaiton..." Netto cut him off, cupping a hand over his chin. Before Kaiton could say anything, he found the boy's lips pressed against his, an arm being wrapped around his waist at the same time. As he pull away, he looked him straight in the eyes.

"...As I fought with Aaron... I realised something very important.... and that was you, Kaiton. Thinking back... I should've never said what I said back then, because truthfully.... I do love you, Kaiton. Can you accept this after everything?" He asked in a whisper, eyes half lidded.

After a long pause, Kaiton smiled, giving a nod. "Of course, Netto-kun..... I love you too...."

As soon as Kaiton finished speaking, an applause was heard in the doorway, causing both boys to leap away from each other in surprise. It turned out that Saito, Enzan, and Dr. Hikari had been there for a while...

Saito smirked. "I knew it! I totally _knew_ it!"

Enzan chuckled. "I had thought this would happen.... and it did."

Dr. Hikari laughed, shaking his head. "Besides that, it's nice to see you up again, Lan...."

Netto frowned. "Do-... Dad, I'd perfer if you called my Netto from now on... I'd still like to be your son, despite everything... but... I'd rather I start over... with the name Netto."

Dr. Hikari was surprised, but he nodded with a warm smile, slowly exiting the room. The four boys looked to one another, before Enzan finally broke the silence, yawning.

"Well... let's get back to training."

Kaiton blinked. "Training...? I thought we stopped Aaron and the others..."

Saito laughed. "That was just one enemy... Just because they're gone, doesn't mean we're done... There are many more Mavericks out there..."

Netto nodded. However, before he could speak, a scream was heard, along with mavericks being sighted outside of the window. The four looked to one another once more, before smirking and running downstairs, preparing to attack.

Indeed.... no matter what happened.....

"Mom, we'll be back in a bit! There's work to do..."

There will always be mavericks to kill.....

and where there are mavericks....

"Alright... just be careful, all of you!!"

"Yes Ma'am!!"

There will be people to stop them.


End file.
